Ai Kotoba
by JustPikachu
Summary: "Okaerinasai, Rikuo-sama!" The giggled that followed from the same lips rung like bells in Rikuo's ear and he couldn't help but compared his wife's laughter to the goddess-like figure in front of him. They were on two different levels. He returned the smile. "Tadaima, Tsurara."
1. To the person I treasure most

Disclaimer: I do not own Nurarihyon no Mago nor the characters mentioned below. This is purely for fiction and entertainment purposes.

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><p><strong>"speaking"<strong>

_thinking_

regular text

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><p><strong>Ageha<strong>

**.**

_"But you see, 50 years, 100 years from now, the one he will keep closest to him is..."_

**.**

**.**

**.**

The wedding was a traditional one.

It was small and included only the clan's closest subordinates and friends. Nonetheless, the atmosphere was still as lively as ever as harmless, minuscule demons ran back and forth throughout the hallways, directing guests and bringing in the needed materials to their appropriate room.

The feeling of importance radiated throughout every nook and cranny.

In another section of the spacious mansion, near the Sakura Tree where pale pink petals littered the ground, a Yuki-Onna stood. Her silk like ebony hair rested on her back as the tips of it brushed against her knees, emphasizing her slender and well developed figure.

She looked up at the dark grey sky that omitted an ominous aura as threatening large clouds sat upon the roof top.

_A storm is brewing._

The azure beauty turned her back away from the porch and walked towards the end of the hallway: the bride's room.

Upon opening the sliding door, she was greeted by the sight of Saori Maki and Natsumi Torii squealing and gushing over said wedding. Torii's eyes caught the snow maiden's golden hues and paused to greet the new guest of the room.

"Ah! Tsurara-chan!"

"Good afternoon to you too, Torii-san."

Maki shook her head and patted the seat next to her, beckoning for her to come over.

"We were just discussing the good old days, you know, back in Middle School when we all thought you and Rikuo had a thing going on!"

"Maki!"

The owner of this feminine voice was non other than today's bride: Ienaga Kana. Her dark, waist length hair swayed as she turned around, like a summer's breeze had entered the room. Her warm, inviting orbs flickered in the sunlight that had escaped through the opened door; it reflected her feelings right now as the eyes seemed to be smiling right through the inhabitants soul.

Tsurara let out a gentle smile as she stepped aside.

"The wedding is about to start. Everyone is waiting in the main room including Kiyotsugu-kun and Shima-kun. Maki-san, Torii-san, you might want to join with the others soon. I'll take over from here."

"Oh, Kiyotsugu and Shima are here as well? I haven't seen them in a few years now — not after we parted in highschool. I should go say 'hi' to them and see if they've became less pathetic."

Torii rolled her eyes at the comment and picked up her belongings as Maki did so too.

Before leaving, they hugged the girl in white and whispered, "Good luck, Kana."

A few footsteps later, they were out of the room and making their way to the main hall ("Where was it again, Torii?", "Sheesh, Maki! I told you we should've asked Tsurara-Chan!")

The snow lady chuckled at their antics and made her way to the bride.

_She's beautiful. _

Kana was donned in a traditional white kimono that fell to the bottom of the floor, trailing behind her as she walked. Intricate golden designs of flowers decorated the edge of her sleeves that glimmered in the lights as she moved. Her make up was light, enough to bring out her beauty that was worth a second glance. But one thing was missing.

Tsurara let out a small smile as she knelt behind the bride.

"Tsurara-chan...?"

_Why am I doing this?_

Her pale fingers were quick to work as they made twists and loops around each other; a concentrated expression fell on Tsurara's face. After a while, she took a golden string that happened to be sitting on the table and made a quick butterfly shape before finishing it off with a golden rose clip.

Resting her thin, long fingers on Kana's shoulders, Tsurara grinned.

"Now, here's a beautiful bride."

The bride giggled and turned around, giving the Yuki-Onna a hug of appreciation.

"Arigatoo. And not just for this, but for...for everything."

She paused and made a face, debating whether she should continue or not.

She continued.

"You've been by Rikuo's side since he was a little kid, looking after him, and protecting him from all evil; you must be tired by now."

_..._

"But don't worry. From now on, till the day this body decays, I will be the one protecting him, so you can take a break now, Tsurara-chan."

_What..._

"I will take on this job from now on."

_No...what are you saying?_

"Tsurara-chan?"

_Please...this is all I have in order to remain by his side..please..._

_Please...please don't take this away from me too. _

"The wedding is starting soon, Ienaga-san — ah, no. Lady Nura, I should say. Let us proceed to the main hall."

"A-ah...o-ohkay."

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><p>Rikuo closed his eyes and breathed out.<p>

He leaned his head against the brown bark of the Sakura tree, not caring if the brown mop of hair became messy or not.

He let out a sigh.

His heart ached.

**Oi. **

_..._

**Oi!**

_You should really learn how to read the mood for once._

**Hah. Getting sentimental here, aren't we? **

_And you're still as annoying as ever, I presumed. _

**I wouldn't be if you keep making choices that you'll regret later. **

_...yeah, you're right._

**_Hey...stop breaking down on me this moment. We're...we're both at fault here. All the choices we've made up till this point... _**

_Hey, Yoru, why...why are we always choosing the wrong path? _

_**...**_

_Why do we always choose the path that leads to an ending we don't want? _

_**Rikuo...**_

_I'm such a coward. I'm able to take on a whole army of youkai, destroy one of the greatest threats in history yet...I—to the person I treasure most, I can't even tell her. I'm pathetic. _

**If I had a physical body to take over right now, I would beat you into a bloody pulp. **

_...!_

**This is the exact reason why we're always stumbling and falling. All we do is crawl to our comfort place and throw a tantrum whilst whining like a child. We cry, we complain, we regret like our favorite toy was stolen from us.**

_Yoru..._

**But we're no longer children anymore, Rikuo. We're adults now. We're the clan head now. **

...I...these feelings, I don't want to forget them_—I can't let them go. _

**Baka. You don't think I feel the same way? Don't forget that I'm you, and you're me. We shared the same body, the same soul, the same thoughts.**_  
><em>

_Then, tell me. What should I do? Tell me. Please, I know you're aware of it too, Yoru. These feelings we have, these feelings we hide, they're killing me...no, they're killing us. _

**I...I don't want to forget these feelings we hold for that person, either, but we've chosen our path. We've carved our path deep into history already, there's no turning back, Rikuo. **

_..._

**I'm going to bury these precious memories...deep inside my heart. Yes...until the time we're able to choose the right way...until we're fully grown...until the right time will then I'll let them out.**

_Yoru..._

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><p>Behind the shoji screen stood the soon to be wed couple.<p>

Kana fumbled with the hem of her sleeves as a light blush decorated her pale cheeks. Her heart pounded against her chest and she felt like she had the whole world on the palm of her hands. Today was the day she has been waiting for. Today was the day she will become Kana Nura. Just the thought of the name made her face turn ten shades of red. The shy bride looked up at her calm groom beside her and smiled. It was so like Rikuo to be calm at such an important event, but that was one of the many things she liked about him.

"Kana?"

Her cheeks reddened once again as she had been caught staring.

Rikuo chuckled and that laughter resonated through Kana's body.

She felt light weighted, almost as if she was flying.

"Nervous?"

"A-ah, yeah. Just a little."

He grabbed onto her hand and gave it a light squeeze as if to convey the words, 'I'm right here'.

Immediately after the gesture, a mellifluous voice entered the atmosphere.

"Waka?"

Upon hearing the call, the hand that held Kana's moments before was released and her groom who stood by her side seconds ago was making her way towards the snow maiden.

"Tsurara! What are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be with the rest of the people inside the main room?"

The way he called the Yuki-Onna's name with so much affection, so much care, so much_ love_, sent a grim feeling down Kana's spine. Just with the ebony hair woman's appearance, Rikuo was already so excited. She clutched onto her sleeves tightly.

"Ah, I had some matters to take care of ." Tsurara paused and eyed her master's wedding uniform. She shook her head and let out a small laugh.

"You're still as unorganized as ever, Waka." Rikuo shot her a look of confusion but it was soon replaced by a gentle smile when he felt a pair of hands pale as snow adjusting his black and white kimono. He stood there still, admiring how her long eye lashes brushed against her flawless skin, how her hair danced with the light breeze, how her face remained calm as if she has been doing this for a very long time. Yes, Tsurara had grown into quite a beauty within the years. He fought back the urge to hug his attendant, reminding himself that his fiancee was just behind him.

"There you go, Waka. All set!" Tsurara grinned and patted down his kimono, dusting off any dust, any strands of thread.

"Thank you...Tsurara."

Tsurara hid her hands behind her blue kimono and clenched them. What was she doing? In front of Kana, nonetheless. She must be going mad, she told herself.

Their little moment was interrupted when Kana rested her hands onto Rikuo's shoulders.

"It's almost time, Rikuo-kun."

"A-ah, yeah."

Just before he turn around, just before the shoji doors were open, he caught the eyes of the snow maiden besides him.

And just like before, his heart ached.

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><p><strong>Ahahaha...yes. <strong>

**It's me again.**

**With another TsuraraxRikuo fanfic. **

**That's probably gonna go into the pile of fanfics I have left unfinished.**

**Ahaha...**

**/hides.**

**For anyone interested, the title, "Ai Kotoba" means, "Love Words" or "Words of Love". The reason I chose this title was because...DRUMROLLS PLEASE! -insert drum rolls- BECAUSE I WAS LISTENING TO THIS SONG WHILE WRITING! YAY! :)**

**It's such a nice song. -sniffles-**

**If you guys would like to listen to it too, you can go on YouTube and type in, "Ai Kotoba Shounen T". **

**Well then.**

**/hides again. **


	2. To the person I miss the most

Disclaimer: I do not own Nurarihyon no Mago nor the characters mentioned below. This is purely for fiction and entertainment purposes.

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><p><strong>"speaking"<strong>

_thinking_

regular text

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><p><strong>"I'm home"<strong>

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was around two in the morning, Rikuo speculates. A dead silence that echoed throughout the room accompanied the constant ringing in his ear. It was almost comforting – the much needed peace from the long day. Rikuo glanced at the sleeping girl next to him and let a melancholic smile decorate his handsome features. Kana was sleeping soundly; lips forming a light pout, hands in two fists, and body curled into a fetal position. His wife had decided on Kyoto for their honeymoon destination, and immediately the night following their marriage ceremony, the newly weds were shipped off with blessings from the clan members. It was obvious she was also affected by the hectic schedule thrust into their arms.

Rikuo was just as tired, maybe more so than his wife but he knew sleep would not grace him tonight and it would not until he return back home.

Shifting slightly, Rikuo slowly slipped away from the futon before taking his part of the blanket and draping it over his wife hesitantly.

_His wife._

How foreign it sounded to Rikuo. Once upon a time, he would've jumped with joy to find that he had married such a pretty girl – his childhood crush no less! But that was many summers ago, back before he had realized the blossoming feelings he had for a certain attendant. With the stealth befitting for a Nurariyhon, he crept to the slightly opened shoji doors desperately needing some fresh air. Being next to Kana suffocated him. Lying to Kana suffocated him. Being away from _her _suffocated him.

_I need to get out. Away. I need to get away. _

Chanting those words like a charm, he walked out.

And then all he saw was lavender.

A large wisteria tree with branches stretching to what seem to be miles and miles on, stood proudly in the middle of the small garden, he was surprised it even fit. The patches after patches of purple that hung from the heaven's above enswathed him from all directions; and the soft breeze blew petals of wisteria and the moon lit his tired form and the quietness threatening to break from his shudders of quickened breath and –

_Damn it._

The young head punched the bark of the tree weakly and growled.

All of this reminded him of his beloved Sakura Tree back home, reminded him of _who_ he had abandoned.

He started to wonder, what would've happened if he had backed out at the last minute. What would've happened if he had chose _her _over the union of a yokai and human world? His happiness and his duty, what mattered most?

He chuckled darkly.

But none of that mattered now. He had made his choice and it was all over the moment he put on that wedding outfit.

Rikuo felt disgusting.

He was a married man – married just a mere 24 hours ago – but a married man nonetheless. And here he was regretting over a marriage and wondering about another women while his wife was a few feet away.

_You're disgusting, Rikuo. _

Yet still, that didn't stop him from dreaming about a ice user as a distant lullaby lured him to Morpheus' realm.

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><p>Tsurara was tired. Every bone in her body ached and seek the comfort her futon provided. From the crack of dawn till the setting of the sun, she had been working nonstop: cleaning the aftermath of the wedding party; delivering tea and medicine to hungover yokais; bidding farewell to leaving guests who stayed for the night. Yes, there was much to do for the attendant.<p>

_Maybe it's a good thing,_ She thinks.

Preoccupying herself with the mundane tasks helped her get her mind off a certain red eyed lord.

But here she was, at her last task of the day: making sure the front gates were locked and sealed so no unwelcome strangers may wander in. Once that was finished, she began walking across the wooden platform flooring, towards the direction of her room. Now that she had time for herself, her mind started to drift miles away, somewhere in Kyoto where her master lie.

Forever the loyal and attentive aide she was, she wondered,

_Rikuo-sama should be resting by now. _

Just 24 hours ago, she had witness both the ceremony and vows that bound her master and her current mistress together. In the blink of an eye, the little boy she had watched over had already became a man.

_A man with a wife._

Her steps slowed to a full stop as a pink petal danced its way to her field of vision. She caught it gently with palms wide open, turning to the source.

_Ahh, the tree is in full bloom tonight too. _

It was her master's beloved sakura tree – a tree that she also valued very much. Being here brought a wave of nostalgia, a wave of precious memories she treasured wholeheartedly. Midnight rendezvous', lazing under the spring sun, and their first kiss. It was quite a funny experience and far from romantic. Inexperienced lips bumping into each other, _did that even counted as a kiss? _The second time they did it, their teeth had clashed against each other, _how embarrassing!_

Tsurara chuckled. Thinking back now, she had realized how naïve they were back then. They really believed as long as they loved each other, no one would be able to intrude into the little world they had built for themselves. The love they had felt for each other was love in its purest form; love so _raw_, love so _real, _it hurt to be away from each other. That was long before duties and positions came into play.

Tsurara made her way to the tree before making herself comfortable; the small of her back laying on the tree trunk.

The maiden sighed.

She would be lying to herself if she denied the small tug at her heart when the couple was declared as man and wife. It hurt, yes it did. The smile she gave them and the congratulations she said left a bittersweet taste in her mouth, and for a split second or two, she felt that the woman in the white robe robbed her place. That scared the ice user.

Her eyes drooped. She was afraid sleep would be hard to attain tonight but it seemed the tree calmed her nerves. Being here made her insides tingled and her chest warm, almost like her beloved master was wrapping his arms around her, telling her,

_everything will be okay._

A small smile.

_Yes, Rikuo-sama, everything will be okay._

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><p>"Come on, Kana-chan! We're almost home!"<p>

Rikuo was practically bursting and radiating with energy. He was so glad to be back at Ukiyoe; so glad to be back home that it took every ounce of muscle in him to refrain from running straight towards the mansion, leaving Kana behind at the station.

"Geez, Rikuo-kun! Why are you in such a rush!?"

_The sooner we get home, the sooner I can see Tsurara!_

"A-ahaha, I just missed everyone. It's been a while since we've seen them."

Rikuo scratched the back of his head nervously, brown hair becoming messier than it already was.

Kana laughed. Rikuo noted he liked the way his wife laughed. It sounded pretty in his ears.

"We've only been gone for two weeks. Rikuo-kun is such a child!"

Her husband smiled gently and resumed bouncing his way up the hill that lead to his home. He could already see the wooden doors and the old architectural design of his mansion.

"Wait for me Rikuo-kun!"

It was too late, because by the time the last syllable left the human girl's lips, Rikuo had begun parting the wooden gates.

It was an unexplainable feeling. Having so many people greeting you at once, welcoming you back – it was a very good feeling the young head decided.

"WELCOME HOME, RIKUO-SAMA!"

And in the middle of the crowd stood the one person he had wanted to see, to hear, to touch: Tsurara.

"Okaerinasai, Rikuo-sama!"

The giggled that followed from the same lips rung like bells in Rikuo's ear and he couldn't help but compared his wife's laughter to the goddess-like figure in front of him. They were on two different levels.

He returned the smile.

"Tadaima, Tsurara."

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><p><strong>Ok. <strong>

**Long time no see guys.**

**So I just found out Shiibashi-sensei has made RikuoxTsurara****_ canon_****.**

**HOLYMOTHER-****_CANON!_** **(yes, I so bold, underline, and italicize it. that's how much I want to emphasize it.)**

**BLESS HIS BEAUTIFUL SOUL AND MAY HE LIVE FOR ANOTHER 100 YEARS. **

**guys, this calls for a celebration. **

**EVERYONE, START SPAMMING THE NURARIHYON NO MAGO FANFIC COMMUNITY WITH RIKUOXTSURARA FANFICS!**


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